Impatiens plant named ‘Balpixreco’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Impatiens plant named ‘Balpixreco’, characterized by its small red and white bicolor flowers, compact growth habit and dark green leaves.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Impatiens walleriana.

Variety denomination: ‘Balpixreco’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct Impatiens plant,botanically known as Impatiens walleriana and hereinafter referred to bythe cultivar name ‘Balpixreco’.

‘Balpixreco’ is a product of a planned breeding program with theobjective of developing Impatiens cultivars with small flowers andcompact growth habits.

The female or seed parent of ‘Balpixreco’, ‘Red Chico’ (unpatented), hasmore compact growth habit than ‘Balpixreco’. The male or pollen parentof ‘Balpixreco’, proprietary Impatiens variety designated SD01033-2(unpatented), has pink and white bicolor flowers. The new cultivar wasdiscovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progenyof the above stated cross during October 1999 in a controlledenvironment at Elburn, Ill. The new cultivar was initially designatedBFP-522.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar has been carried out at WestChicago, Ill. by terminal tip cuttings and has demonstrated that theunique characteristics of the new cultivar as herein described arefirmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexualpropagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It was found that the cultivar of the present invention:

(a) exhibits small red and white bi-color flowers;

(b) forms dark green foliage;

(c) exhibits a good basal branching character; and

(d) exhibits a compact growth habit.

The new cultivar of the present invention can be compared to ‘Fify Red’(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,753). However, in side-by-side comparisons,plants of the new cultivar are more vigorous have a shorter spur anddifferent flower color than ‘Fify Red’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph shows as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. The plants weregrown for 12 weeks in a greenhouse at West Chicago, Ill.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar ‘Balpixreco’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such astemperature, light intensity, and day length. The chart used in theidentification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart ofThe Royal Horticultural Society, London, England. The color values weredetermined on Feb. 12, 2002. The readings were taken between 2:00 and3:00 p.m. under natural daylight conditions.

Plants used for the following descriptions and measurements were grownin 10 cm pots for 12 weeks from rooted cuttings. The plants wereproduced from cuttings taken from stock plants and grown in a doublepolycarbonate covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to thoseused in commercial practice. A soilless growth medium was utilized whiletemperatures of approximately 68° to 75° F. (20° to 24° C.) during theday and approximately 55° to 65° F. (13° to 18° C.) during the night andlight levels of 4,000 to 6,000 footcandles were maintained.

Classification:

Botanical.—Impatiens walleriana, cultivar‘Balpixreco’.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Impatiens variety ‘Red Chico’.

Male parent.—Proprietary Impatiens variety designated SD01033-2.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal tip.

Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 7 to 10 days.

Time to develop roots.—Approximately 21 to 30 days.

Root descriptions.—Fibrous, branching.

Plant description:

Crop time.—Approximately 4 to 6 weeks are required to produce a finishedplant from rooted cuttings.

Habit of growth.—Compact with good basal branching. Pinching is notrequired.

Form.—Upright and mounded.

Height of foliage.—A mature plant, 12 weeks after the planting of arooted cutting, commonly measures approximately 16.3 cm.

Plant spread.—Approximately 26 cm.

Lateral branches.—An average of 13 branches per plant, approximately 7cm in length and 5 mm in diameter, glabrous and 146B in color. Internodelength at the middle of the branch is approximately 1.7 cm.

Foliage.—Arrangement is alternate. Leaves are single, ovate withcrenate, ciliate margin, acuminate apex, attenuate base and are at anacute angle to the stem. Upper and lower surfaces are glabrous. Leaflength is approximately 3 cm and width is approximately 2.1 cm. Theupper surface of mature foliage is 139A and the lower surface is closestto 139A with splotches of 183D. Both upper and lower surfaces havepinnate venation. Venation of upper surface is 139D and the venation ofthe lower surface is 146B. The petiole length is approximately 19 cm,the diameter is approximately 2 mm and the color is lighter than 139D.

Flowering description:

Flowering habit.—Freely flowering.

Natural flowering season.—Year round in greenhouse environment and fromspring through fall in outdoor garden.

Flower description:

Type.—Single and persistent.

Size.—Diameter is approximately 2.1 cm.

Aspect.—Flat.

Corolla.—Five petals with entire undulate margin, attenuate base andsmooth texture. All petals have emarginate apex. Upper petal length isapproximately 8 mm and width at widest point is 7 mm. Lower and lateralpetal length is approximately 1 cm and width is approximately 6 mm.Petals vary in color. Some of the upper petals are entirely 155D, someare entirely 47A and others are 47A with small area of 155D at apex oralong margin. Some of the lateral and lower petals are entirely 155D,some are entirely 47C and others are 47C with small area of 155D at apexor along margin. Color of lower surface of all petals is 46C at marginand middle and 47D at base.

Peduncle.—Glabrous, at an acute angle to the stem, approximately 1.7 cmin length and 1 mm in diameter. Peduncle color is 146B.

Flower bud.—Oval, approximately 8 mm in length and 5 mm in diameter atfirst color. Bud color is 39A.

Sepals.—Three. Lateral sepals are approximately 2 mm in length and 1 mmin width with acuminate apex and color of 146B. Lower sepal is modifiedinto a spur.

Spur.—Sharply curved, 1.8 cm in length and gradually fades from 53A atdistil end to 51C at proximal end.

Reproductive organs.—Five stamens, 3 mm in length. Anthers are fusedaround pistil, and 86A in color. Pollen has not been observed. Pistillength is 3 mm. Style length is <1 mm and color is 78A. Stigma length is<1 mm and color is 78A. Ovary is 2 mm in length and color is l43A.

Seed production: Seed production has not been observed.

Disease resistance: Resistance to pathogens has not been observed.

Hardiness zone: ‘Balpixreco’ is hardy in zones nine (9) and above.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Impatiens plant named‘Balpixreco’ substantially as herein shown and described, which: (a)exhibits small red and white bicolor flowers; (b) dark green foliage;(c) a compact growth habit; and (d) a good basal branching character.